Guiping - Teaching Retreat

Welcome Sign at the High School

Every year the school I teach for sends its teachers on a 3-day retreat to another city in Guangxi Province. The purpose is to conduct English lessons at Chinese high schools and exchange teaching methodologies with the staff. This year we traveled to Guiping, a 'small' Chinese city of 1.8 million, approximately 4 hours Northeast of Nanning - the provincial capital.

Our bus arrived in style to our hotel, with a police escort. The mayor and members of the local communist party were on hand to welcome us to the city. The kind reception we received was a good sign of things to come, as the retreat produced a couple highlights:

1) I have never seen a Chinese high school before, thus an opportunity to teach a lesson at one was met with excitement. Upon arrival me and my colleagues were paired with a Chinese teacher and directed to their classrooms. All of us foreign teachers went in different directions and anticipation built as I heard applause and shouts echoing from behind; a sign that some of my colleagues had made it to their designated classrooms. I came to a large building at the back of the school grounds and was led up several flights of stairs. As I walked down the hallways, classes came to a standstill with students cheering and climbing over each other for a better look. After the dramatic entrance, I arrived in the classroom and the students excitement was like nothing I have ever seen. Clapping, screaming and a pair of students grabbing each other and shaking violently to top it off! It was as if a skid of Red Bull and Skittles had been airdropped into the classroom. It's something I will always remember, given that I'll probably never experience it again.

Overall the lesson was a great success as we talked about Canada, sang songs and showed each other our 'special abilities'. One student sang a Lady Gaga tune, one flexed his pecks back and forth like 'The Rock' and one even gave me an English beat box welcome. They were surprisingly well behaved (there were 89 students in the class!) and were very keen when it came to learning about North America. Many of the students come from a low socioeconomic background and have probably never seen a Westerner before (up close), which explains much of the excitement. They are also in school 7 days a week, from 7AM - 10PM and live in dormitories on the school grounds. I imagine that my lesson was a much needed break from the strenuous lifestyle of a Chinese high school student.

A Lazy Susan, Within a Lazy Susan, Within a Lazy Susan

2) Our hosts treated us well during our stay in Guiping, especially when it came to the meals. Extravagant food was served (mainly meat dishes), with a dozen courses for most meals. Private dinner rooms were rented for the occasion, which came equipped with motorized Lazy Susan's (especially helpful for the 22 person round table), washrooms, a bar and lounge seating. It's customary at formal dinners to toast all guests, whether in groups or individually. Around half of the toasts ended with 'Gam' which is the same as saying 'Cheers'. Meanwhile, 'Gambei' (dry cup) was uttered for the other half, which means that you are expected to chug your drink. Copious amounts of red wine was served, with Baijiu (40-60% rice liquor) reserved for communal toasts. Opposing tables are sometimes matched (and wagered) against one another, to see who can 'outdrink - outlast - outplay'. Like it or not, the Chinese will argue that this is a part of their culture and those that don't participate, risk being ostracized.

Overall, the trip was a culturally enriching experience and I was able to educate students on the English language, along with the home country of Canada - which I love so much!

10 Things I have learned about Southern China thus far:

1) The roads are virtually lawless. If you want to pass someone all you have to do is honk. Bonus points for veering over the two yellow lines and weaving through oncoming traffic.

2) You wallet always goes in the front pockets. Thievery is rife here, hence bars on almost every first floor window.

3) It is cheaper to eat out, than to cook for yourself (low cost of labour). Expect to pay under 40rmb (around $7CDN) at most Chinese restaurants, drinks included and under 14rmb ($2CDN) at a take-out/cafeteria.

4) Do not look into a Chinese kitchen...just go to your happy place and dig into the food.

5) The washrooms of many Chinese businesses are like the movie SAW. Oh and bring your own toilet paper, napkins and hand-wash, cause they don't have them.

6) There are not many building codes here. Maintenance is almost unheard of too and the bare minimum is done. The Chinese way is to build it big (vertical), fast and  flashy. After 5-10 years it is better to just tear a building down and build a new one...maintenance is too much of a hassle.

7) Bars do not close, as long as you continue to buy drinks. If you want to experience a Varsity Blues 7am walk home, this is the place....and for $50cents a Chinese beer.

You Mean I Can't Throw Bottles
 at People, Out of a Moving Train?

8) You will spend a great deal of your salary if you continually eat Western food. Man up and dig into the mystery meat.

9) The Chinese love their bones and cartilage. The breast of the chicken is the most undesirable part. The feet are probably the best...packaged chicken feet, pickeled feet, bbq'd feet, deep fried feet...The Chinese love their chicken feet as much as Bubba loves his shrimp.

10) If it looks like an animals genitalia on a skewer...it probably is...beware!